Indianapolis Boulevard
Indianapolis Boulevard, also known as Indianapolis Avenue, is a major arterial road in Illinois and Indiana, serving the southeastern suburbs of Chicago. It serves US 12, US 20, US 41, and Indiana State Road 152 for portions of its length.
Route description
The route starts in Schererville, Indiana with a junction on US 30 and the Lincoln Highway. From the beginning, Indianapolis Boulevard is part of US 41. After an intersection with Ridge Road in Highland, Indianapolis Boulevard crosses a major interchange at the Frank Borman Expressway. US 41 merges onto the freeway, but the road continues as SR 152.On the East Chicago-Hammond line, US 20 merges onto Indianapolis Boulevard, ending SR 152. After an intersection with SR 312, Indianapolis Boulevard meets US 12 and the Lake Michigan Circle Tour. Both become a part of Indianapolis Boulevard along with US 20. Later on, US 41 rejoins Indianapolis Boulevard, and the route has an interchange with the Indiana Toll Road before crossing into Illinois.
After another interchange with I-90, now the Chicago Skyway, all three U.S. Routes and the LMCT end their concurrency with Indianapolis Boulevard, turning north towards Ewing Avenue. Indianapolis Boulevard itself ends on Avenue L, with the roadway continuing as 100th Street.
Between the two states, the total length of the route is.
Communities and sites
Indianapolis Boulevard serves the southeastern suburbs of Chicago, including Hammond, Whiting, East Chicago, Highland, and Schererville.The Whiting Refinery, an oil refinery operated by BP, is located on the eastern side of Indianapolis Boulevard and the Indiana Harbor and Ship Canal.
One of the campuses of Purdue University Northwest is in Hammond, covering, and bordering Indianapolis Boulevard to the east. The campus includes 17 academic buildings, a fitness center, two student housing facilities, the White Lodging Center for Hospitality and Tourism Management, and a Challenger Learning Center. It was established in 1946, and the $35 million Nils K. Nelson Bioscience Innovation Building was opened in August 2020, situated in the Hammond campus.
Transportation
The South Shore Line is the main commuter rail line on Indianapolis Boulevard, with a station in East Chicago at 5615 Indianapolis Boulevard. This station opened in 1956 and was remodeled in 2004.The Hammond–Whiting station, an Amtrak intercity train station, is another one close by, along the former Pennsylvania Railroad Fort Wayne Line.
There are also many bus stops along the route's major intersections, such as Ridge Road, Chicago Avenue, and Calumet Avenue.